binkley@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov (Rob -Not from Bloom County- Binkley) (12/21/90)
We are having a difficulty here setting up a clean interface between
AutoCAD and our Novell 3.1 network. We have 3 (different) HP plotters
and one CalComp D size thermal plotter. The wonderful people at AutoDESK
decided for us that plotters will only be connected to a PC via the
COM ports and on dedicated to that PC since it wants to communicate with
the plotter...hence our problem. We have 3 plotters hanging on our file
server and one as a remote printer. Since the network can only reroute
files sent to the LPT ports, we have to plot to a file, shell to DOS,
and print the file from DOS.
This is a real bummer. PCAD doesn't have this limitation..Its very
network aware. It would be nice if we could get AutoCAD to operate
as smoothly as PCAD...but no dice.
Some possible solutions:
1. Plot to a network spool directory where Novell will plot anything
in that directory, then delete it.
Can Novell 3.1 handle this? Any software we need to purchase?
2. A plotter ADI driver which allows printing to HP and CalComp plotters
via the LPT ports. Anyone ever see such a beast?
Any possible hint/solutions that anyone may have would be appreciated...
Robert L. Binkley Internet: binkley@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov
NASA Ames-Dryden Floght Research Facility
PO Box 273 MS: XRT (not the Chicago radio station)
Edwards, CA 93523iho@cac.washington.edu (Il Oh) (12/21/90)
binkley@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov (Rob -Not from Bloom County- Binkley) writes: >We are having a difficulty here setting up a clean interface between >AutoCAD and our Novell 3.1 network. [problem description: AutoCAD only likes plotters on COM ports] >Some possible solutions: You didn't mention what would have been my first step. Have you tried the folks at AutoCAD (whatever the company is called)? Call me crazy, but my guess is that there are more than just a couple of other people out there using CAD programs and LAN's in conjunction. If they haven't done the fix to be able to plot out the LPT ports, I don't think it would be unreasonable to request it as a fix in their next release. In the meantime, I believe that there exist some PD programs that remap the COM ports to LPT ports. -- "And now, adding color | Il Hwan Oh a group of anonymous, Latin-American | University of Washington, Tacoma meat-packing glitterati" | iho@cac.washington.edu -- Pink Floyd, Final Cut |
kenh@techbook.com (Ken Haynes) (12/22/90)
>This is a real bummer. PCAD doesn't have this limitation..Its very >network aware. It would be nice if we could get AutoCAD to operate >as smoothly as PCAD...but no dice. I thought ACAD announced a network aware version. Is it not available? > >Some possible solutions: > > 1. Plot to a network spool directory where Novell will plot anything > in that directory, then delete it. > > Can Novell 3.1 handle this? Any software we need to purchase? Novell uses network spool directories to control it's printing now, but I don't think that just writing a file into the spool area will cause a print job to kick off.... One of the Novellians will have to answer that one. Fresh Technology has a Print Assist program that can redirect printer output but I'm not aware if they can capture COM port output to a queue..Their phone number is (602)497-4200. > > 2. A plotter ADI driver which allows printing to HP and CalComp plotters > via the LPT ports. Anyone ever see such a beast? Have you checked the Autocad Forum on Compuserve? Not having personal experience with Autocad, that's the first place I'd look. Good Luck! Ken -- ****************************************************************************** Network Support Services: UUCP: {nosun, sequent, tessi} kenh@techbook